Halloween!!!!

Halloween has came and went...... although Emily hasn't quit gotten the concept that Halloween is only once a year! She thinks that everyday is Halloween. She will only watch Halloween shows and movies and cried when I started to put up the decorations. She said, "why are you selling all of our Halloween stuff!" She is a funny little drama queen!

This year we made an eyeball pinata. It was Cody's idea. I think it came out really good.

"Scary Carrie's Annual Halloween Party" seemed to be a success. The kids left with tons of candy and smilies on there faces! The best part of the whole entire evening is when "Princess Leah" showed expectantly !!! It was one of the most creative costumes I have ever seen!

In addition to "Princess Leah", my sisters and their families and several of our new "Tok-A-Tan" friends showed up! I would say the party was a success. Unfortunately I took very few pictures of the actual party so you will have to just take my word for it.

Look how cute my cake came out!!! It is filled with cookie dough ice cream!!

So in addition to the Halloween Party I also decorated a hall at the school and handed out candy. It is something they do here every year and they call it "Trick-or-Treat street!! It was fun!!

Since we aren't going to Disney World this year I had to make my kids get pictures with these two characters. Not exactly Belle and Cinderella but these two beauties will have to do for now!

Bonfire

Just have to start off by saying Tok is AWESOME!!! They have the coolest community events! We just got home from a bonfire put on by the school and it ended up being really fun! Just look at how much fun my family is having! That look on Cody's face is the look of pure joy!!! The Gangsta in the back there is having loads of fun... that is Vince's, "I am having loads of fun look"!
The event was free and complete with hot dogs, hot coco, glow necklaces and cool flashing lights!!!

This is my new (and only friend in Tok) Carrie! (She even spells it right!!) Cody asked me if that was beer in her cup... I assured him that that smile on her face was not due to her beverage!
The best part of the night came when the kids started pelting the firemen with snow balls and the fire men retaliated by spraying the kids with their hose!!!!! Keep in mind, we are in Tok. It is winter here. I would guess it was about 20 degrees! I told you AWESOME!!! Remember kids firemen are our friends!!!!

People are strange!!!!

Okay, so I usually only write on my blog when I have a picture to post....today I am posting a blog for the simple fact that I felt like making fun of something I read on the internet today. I was at a parenting site (what you thought being "super mom" came to me naturally???), anyways as I saying I was reading what some people had wrote about what they do for Halloween and I came across this piece of weirdness.........

Our family does not participate in any Halloween activities at all. We prefer to make it a special family night! We go out for dinner and let the kids (ages 14, 11, 9~right before halloween, and 4) choose the restaurant. Typically, it is out for sushi~~a favorite in our family! Then we come home, turn off all the lights and have Bible Story time on mom and dad's king size bed.....a real treat, especially for the older girls!

That's cool if you don't celebrate "devils day", (I will never understand why someone would pass up a day of candy and gore........) what I can't get over is what they do instead. News flash...... It is not fun for your whole family to sit on your king size bed in the dark and tell stories....it's weird! Bad enough you make your kids eat sushi instead of taking them to a fine establishment like "Carls" for some good food, but you think sitting on your bed in the dark for Halloween is a "real treat". I think when Cody gets home from school I will suggest this is how we spend all hallows this year... I'll let you know what he says!

Cody's Birthday!!!!

The big day was approaching and I was a little bit skeptical that any one was going to show up at all! Poor little Cody in a new town.... having a birthday party with no guest! Sierra and Zac were suppose to be coming as well as Aunt Nicole, uncle Mike, Grandma Meyer and Grandpa Meyer. But because the Troopers did not send Vincent home like planned we decided to go to fbks. Long story short the family decided to opt out of the long drive knowing that we would be coming the very next day. So Cody and I moved forward with our party plans. I told him that even if no one else showed ...... we would go forward with the party! Just Cody, Emily, and I.
To our surprise and delight 15min early one of his friends showed up! A few minutes later the second one dropped in! He was so excited and didn't seem to mind that only 2 of his friends were here! The kids played a game that I had planned for them, did a treasure hunt and then disappeared down stairs to play in Cody's room. I kept on offering cake to them but they were not interested....... they were happy playing! Finally my appetite for that cake grew too large and I made them come upstairs for cake!
It ended up being a really good day! At least so far! Cody was happy the kids left happy....... everything was perfect.... so far........ After the party I loaded up the truck and the kids an I headed to fbks. About an hour out of Tok the truck started smoking and blowing out could air, I smelt the syrupy sweet smell of antifreeze and all I could think was, "Oh Shit!" I pulled into "Dot Lake" it's a small village between Tok and Delta. I couldn't see any businesses..... only little houses. I thought about the movie "wrong turn" and decided not to knock on any doors. Instead I got back on the highway and drove up the road a little further. There was a post office, I didn't figure it would be open at 5:00 on a Saturday......on top of that there were signs that said this is a residence all over the building. I tired to use my credit card to use the pay phone.... the operator quickly rambled off a different number that I needed to call to use a credit card. It was about 20 degrees outside and windy and my fingers were turning into pop cycles. Suddenly I noticed a man outside starting up his grill. I asked him if I could trouble him for water for his radiator. He said of course and came out to take a look under the hood. He said my radiator was bone dry. He filled it with radiator fluid and gave me too jugs of water. He then told me to call someone in Tok and tell them if I am not back in an hour...... I started to cry and said, "I don't know anyone in Tok". I called my mom instead, he walked outside to finish his grilling and his little dog started bitting my ankles. So, by the time I got on the phone with my mom I was still crying and I told her that I was broke down and there was a dog bitting me...... I think she was confused and concerned to say the least. (It reminds me of the last time I broke down on the Mitchell Express way in Fairbanks, I called my dad to come pick me up, I was looking out the window and witnessed a man poring something over his engine , all the sudden he caught on fire! I told my dad my car is broke down and there is a man on fire.... he was also very confused. Things like that always have aways have a way of happening to me!) Anyways...... The kids and I made it all the way back to Muk Luk Land before the truck took a big dump. It just stopped running and all of the radiator fluid gushed out from under it! I got out for a minute..... opened the hood and thought some one will see us over here and come pick us up. My theory proved to be wrong and no one came over there. I bundled up the kids and we started walking home. Someone passed us and then turned around! He picked us up on the side of the road. He seemed like a perfectly normal guy (That's what Ted Bundy's one survivor said about him too!) , the back window of his truck was broken out... he told Cody to be careful to not get cut on any broken glass. Whatever, beggars can't be choosers! I was just happy someone decided to have pity on us! I dropped us off at home without incident. When we got home Cody said, "that was scary, I hope our car never breaks down again." Emily on the other hand said, "It's OK mommy, at least you made a new friend today!" My mom ended up calling my sister and she and her husband came to my house and took me and the kids out for pizza. We survived our first breakdown on the Alaskan Highway!

Snow Day!!!

Well winter is officially here! It snowed this morning and hasn't stopped!! Cody and I woke up this morning and although it was dark I could tell that something was very wrong!!! Upon further investigation I confirmed my worst fears... it was snow and it was sticking!!!

What made matters worse is the reality that I had not prepared myself for this most dreaded of days!! I had a half hour to get Emily up (no small task!) make Cody's lunch, and find Cody's winter gear and then walk both of them down our long winding driveway in snow up to our necks (Hey, if I didn't embellish a little bit then would anyone really be interested enough to read my blog??) He made it out the door with his winter coat, boots, a hat, and gloves! Snow pants were going to have to wait! Cody came home from school and "notified" me that I would need to send him with snow pants from now on. I am quit sure that the school has flagged me as an unfit parent! I guess I will have to be on my best behavior from here on out!



So I suppose this is when things are really going to become interesting for the Gerber/Meyer's of Tok Alaska!!

Cousins

The nice thing about living in Tok is that the kids get to spend more time with there cousins! Last week we made a quick trip to fbks to see Vince. Cody spent the whole weekend with Sierra and Zac. I think he would move in with them if he could!

Zac and Emily decided that they were going to get married. Emily dressed up like a princess bride and Zac put his best little suit on! It looks like the proudest day of Zac's life........Emily on the other hand looks like a ruined woman!!! Married life isn't that bad Em!!!

This past Saturday we had a little birthday party for Cody and Cousin Katie! Cody is 9 and Katie is 7. Both of them were born on October 4th! Being the very prepared organized person that I am I forgot birthday candles. I was able to wrangle up some tea lights. The cake didn't look that great but it tasted awesome!!! It was golden cake with chocolate frosting and it was filled with "rocky road" ice cream!!! Courtesy of me and the Betty Crocker bake and fill pie pans that Vince bought of an infomercial 2 years ago. (I think it was one of his many attempts to domesticate me!)


In case you are wondering what all of the adults in the family are doing while the kids are blowing out the candles......... (you might say that the Gerber family is just a little camera happy!!)

It was a really good weekend. My Mom, Dad, Angie, and Abby all stayed the night. My mom liked the house but was sure to point out the fact that my light covers in the kitchen need to be cleaned desperately!! (Maybe you could adopt Martha Stewart mom.... I bet her lights are clean! She probably wouldn't had forgotten the candles either!)


The other great thing that happened this weekend is we found out that Vince get to do his next phase of training in Tok!! He comes back for the next month on Saturday! I pretty over being a single parent and I am starting to miss having my old ball and chain around!

Hunting and Gathering!!!!

In case the 3 of you (it has came to my attention that my audience consists of approx. 3 people... hi mom) are wondering what we do in Tok....... So far we have spent most of our free time gathering cranberries and hunting for grouse. This is due mostly to the fact that we get no TV reception. "Heroes" are a distant yet fond memory and the Roloffs ("Little People Big World") are no longer part of my little television family. No, I have had to resort to actually living my own life!

As I was saying we have been picking cranberries. Our yard is covered in them! So far we have made cranberry sauce, pancakes, and smoothies! Our urinary tracts must be uber healthy right now!

Vincent and Em making Cranberry Pancakes!!!


We didn't have any luck grouse hunting but it was fun any ways. Vince and Cody started out with a little bit of target practice.........


He is a natural of course!!!!


Then we took a drive down the original "Alaskan Highway". (At least that is what we were told... It actually came to a dead end at the bank of a river so I am pretty sceptical! )

The Original "Alaskan Highway"????


Looking for Grouse!

Emily decided that she did not need a gun. She decided she would use these sticks to kill the grouse.... she said she would just, "poke there eye's out". That' s my little princess! This is the same child that wanted to kill 50 bunnies to make a big fur blanket! She didn't get her blood lust from me!!

Oh and in case you are wondering why Vince was carrying 2 guns...... here's your answer!!!

Home sweet Home!!!

By popular demand....(okay, by the request of two people....) I have decided to post pictures of the inside of my beautiful house! Most of you will probably choose to pass on looking at pictures of my rental ....... but for those of you who, like me have lived in crappy rentals for all of your adult lives, there is hope out there! We may not get to live here long but I will enjoy every moment of living in a house with white walls, a yard and no neighbors!!!!

This is my living room. Look how good my 15 year old furniture looks in it!

This here is a little built in desk hidden away in a little nook in the living room. There are built in shelves that you can not see in the picture...... I purposely left that out because they are filled with junk....... but cool none the less!


This is my dinning room.... in case you couldn't tell!


And of course....this is where the magic happens! (If you consider getting kicked in the face by two little rugrats all night long magic.........)

This is one of our three bathrooms!!!!

This is Emmy's room..... no it is not your imagination, her room is bare!

I didn't think it was possible but even the kids' play room looks bare!

This is a section of Cody's enormous room that he never sleeps in.


Last but not least is the down stairs bathroom with the huge tub!

Hope you enjoyed seeing our new house! Now get out of here!!!!!

Tok or bust!!!!!

This has been a crazy month! But it looks like we are finally settled in! The kids and I are in our new house and loving it! There is only one problem with it.... it is for sale! Lets all hope and pray that it doesn't get sold! (At least until spring!) Vince is still in Fairbanks and won't be back home with us until December. He is doing his field training for the troopers. It is going fine for him but we are wishing he was at home with us.
So about Tok...... Tok is super small! There is one little grocery store, a couple of gas stations, and everyone in Tok has the last name of "Young" (give or take a few). People here have been really nice to us and always say, "welcome to Tok"! The coolest thing we have seen in Tok is Muk-Luk-land. And as luck would have it we live rights down the road from Muk-Luk-Land. Now I am not real sure what Muk-Luk-Land is but I am pretty sure it is going to give Disney a run for it's money! Muk-Luck-Land is closed until spring but it doesn't stop us from standing under the big Muk-Luk for a picture!

Another Tok highlight is our bathtub! The kids would take a bath every day if I would let them. But because I am the "water Nazi", (a title given to me by my wonderful husband who showers 5 times a day....) I only allow them to swim in the big tub once a week!

Cody is the best boy. Him and his big old mop of red hair! I don't know how I got to be so lucky!! He picked the room downstairs and has not stayed down there once. I don't freakin blame him..... (everyone knows that is where ghost hang out!) He said that he is "starting to get used to school". And he really likes his teacher! He has to ride the bus home tomorrow and is pretty worried....... but then again so am I. (We are like two peas in a pod!) His school is k-12 and he is one of 11 kids in his class! We thought it was funny that some of the kids ride 4 wheelers and dirt bikes to school! Only in rural Alaska do they have ATV parking at the school!!!

Emily is getting taller... not bigger just taller. She is always smacking her brother around and he lets her! Her dad took her to get her ears pierced in fbks. He was trying to "surprise me". (more like he was trying to get it done before I could say NO!". She always gets them snagged on everything.... guess it is the price for beauty (who needs earlobes anyways?!). She and I are going to volunteer at the local head start so hopefully she will get a chance to meet some new friends. I am also going to put my name on the sub list at head start. On the days I get called to sub they will let me take Em with me!

Speaking of Halloween......... my big 5th annual Halloween party is going to be held the 27th of October. So far no one has sent me an RSVP! It might just be me, the kids, and a big bowl of candy corn this year!
Bye for now! If you have made it this far through my ramblings then good for you! I will post more when something exciting happens........or maybe the next time I wake up at 2:00am and realize that I don't have cable!